Kingston city council approves support for climate strike

There have been climate action strikes in front of Kingston City Hall every week all year, but city council plans to use the Global General Strike for Climate on Friday, Sept. 20, to promote the city's efforts to fight climate change. (Elliot Ferguson/The Whig-Standard)Elliot Ferguson / Elliot Ferguson/Whig-Standard

KINGSTON — City council gave a modest approval of a planned climate change general strike set for later this week in front of City Hall.

The strike, set for Friday, is part of a global event but locally is being organized by Kingston Fridays for Future and 350 Kingston.

City council was asked Tuesday night to lend support to the event and find ways to educate city staff about the importance of action on climate change and “initiate an ongoing process of collaboratively engaging staff on ways and means to achieve bolder and more effective climate mitigation and adaptation measures.”

Council voted to lend support but narrowly rejected plans to use the event to promote the city’s own climate change action.

“They are very concerned, they are frustrated, they are very disturbed about what is not being done,” King’s Town District Coun. Rob Hutchison said of the youths who are organizing the local strike.

“What we are saying here is we are supporting their initiative and their goals. They need encouragement and support.”

The only problem for many councillors was that the general strike is scheduled for 10 a.m., when pupils are supposed to be in school.

“What we are effectively doing is endorsing kids breaking the law,” Lakeside District Coun. Wayne Hill, a former school principal, said. “We are endorsing something that is clearly not allowed.

“I think it is dangerous ice we are treading on.”

Climate rallies have been taking place in front of City Hall for much of the year, starting in March with a protest that attracted several hundred people.

The protests have continued, albeit with smaller numbers on Fridays through the summer.

Seeking a way to have young people come to the strike and obey the rules, Trillium District Coun. Robert Kiley, also a former teacher, encouraged teachers and parents to come to the strike as a field trip.